Utah Personal Injury Statute of Limitations Calculator
Use this calculator to find your exact filing deadline for a personal injury claim in Utah. Enter your incident date and circumstances below for an instant result, including any tolling extensions that may apply to your situation.
Covers car accidents, slip and fall, dog bites, premises liability, and other general negligence claims. For medical malpractice, product liability, wrongful death, or other claim types — use the case type selector below.
Unfamiliar with any terms? Glossary of Terms
3. Incident Details
4. Special Circumstances
Utah's personal injury statute of limitations is governed by the state's civil procedure and limitations statutes. Claims against state agencies, municipalities, or other government entities in Utah may require filing a formal notice of claim before suit can be commenced — notice deadlines vary by entity type and are often shorter than the civil filing deadline. Under state law, the limitations period is tolled for minor claimants until they reach the age of majority at 18.
Looking for debt-specific deadlines? Our Debt Statute of Limitations Calculator covers written contracts, oral agreements, credit cards, and promissory notes with revival warnings by state.
Utah's personal injury statute of limitations of 4 years matches 2 other states (lower than 4 states and higher than 44); the national median is 2 years.
📊 Utah Personal Injury Deadline vs Neighbors & National Median
About This Calculator
This calculator finds your exact filing deadline for a personal injury claim in Utah. It applies Utah's specific statute of limitations period, checks whether the discovery rule extends your deadline, accounts for tolling if the injured party was a minor, and flags any special notice requirements if your claim involves a government entity. Enter your incident date — or discovery date if the harm wasn't immediately apparent — and the calculator counts forward using Utah's exact rule to show your filing deadline, the time remaining, and an urgency status. Results are based on verified state statute citations, not general estimates.
What is a Personal Injury Claim?
Statute of Limitations Deadline Calculation Formula
Here is how the calculation methodology works using representative illustrative figures (hypothetical example only — see Utah's actual deadlines in the sections above):
- Incident Date: June 1, 2024
- Statutory Period: 2 years (730 days)
- Discovery Date (if delayed discovery applies): September 1, 2024
- Standard Filing Deadline: June 1, 2026 (2 years from incident)
- Discovery-Extended Deadline: September 1, 2026 (2 years from discovery)
How Utah's Personal Injury Deadline Works
Under Utah Rev. Stat. § 79, Utah provides 4 years to file a personal injury lawsuit. The clock typically begins when the injury was discovered — or when it reasonably should have been discovered — rather than on the date the harm occurred. This is known as the discovery rule. Utah extends the filing window by up to 1 additional year under the discovery rule.
Utah's personal injury statute of limitations is governed by the state's civil procedure and limitations statutes. Claims against state agencies, municipalities, or other government entities in Utah may require filing a formal notice of claim before suit can be commenced — notice deadlines vary by entity type and are often shorter than the civil filing deadline. Under state law, the limitations period is tolled for minor claimants until they reach the age of majority at 18.
Special Circumstances
Government entity claims: If the defendant is a government entity, Utah requires a formal administrative claim notice to be filed within 6 months of the incident before a lawsuit may be filed. Missing this notice deadline permanently bars the claim. After the claim is rejected, you have 12 months to file suit.
Minor claimants: If the injured person was a minor at the time of the incident, Utah tolls the statute of limitations until they reach age 18.
What Happens If You Miss the Deadline
If a lawsuit is filed after the statute of limitations expires, the defendant can ask the court to dismiss the case as time-barred — and courts almost always grant this motion, regardless of how strong the underlying claim is. The right to sue is lost permanently; there is no general exception for not knowing the deadline existed. A small number of circumstances can pause or extend the clock, covered in the Special Circumstances section above if they apply to your claim type and state. If your deadline is approaching or may have already passed, contact a licensed attorney immediately — some exceptions are themselves time-sensitive.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does minor tolling affect personal injury deadlines in Utah?
Utah law tolls the personal injury statute of limitations for individuals who are under 18 at the time of the incident. The clock does not begin ticking until the minor's 18th birthday, affording them the standard filing period as an adult. This protects the minor's legal rights if their parents fail to act on their behalf.
Does the Utah personal injury deadline cover medical malpractice?
Medical malpractice claims in Utah are controlled by the Utah Health Care Malpractice Act, which features a distinct statute of limitations and a strict statute of repose. The Act also requires pre-litigation panel review before a lawsuit can be filed. General personal injury timelines are inapplicable to healthcare negligence.
How is wrongful death treated differently from personal injury in Utah?
When a personal injury causes death, the claim converts to a wrongful death action under Utah law. The deadline for this claim is separate and generally begins on the date of the victim's passing. The heirs or the personal representative of the estate bring the action to recover for their specific losses.
Are there special requirements to sue a Utah government entity?
Yes, the Utah Governmental Immunity Act requires plaintiffs to file a formal Notice of Claim before suing any public body. Notice must be given within exactly one year of the injury. Missing this strict administrative notice deadline will permanently bar the civil lawsuit.
Does Utah use comparative negligence for personal injury?
Utah applies a modified comparative fault system with a 50% bar. An injured plaintiff can recover damages only if their assigned fault is less than the combined fault of the defendants. If they are found to be 50% or more responsible for the accident, they are completely barred from financial recovery.
Other Utah Civil Statutes
Explore filing limits and calculator tools for other civil claims in the state of Utah:
This tool is for informational and educational reference only and does not constitute legal advice. Statutes of limitations vary by jurisdiction and can be affected by tolling, government claim notice requirements, and other exceptions. Always consult a licensed attorney before making legal decisions.